Salary Alone Not a Cause of Teacher Turnover; 43% of Educators Would Continuing Teaching with Improved Work-Life Balance

New Study.com survey also reveals more than half of Black and Asian American teachers indicate a desire for a more inclusive school environment to foster a sense of belonging

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Salaries and compensation are often to blame for the level of dissatisfaction among teachers and while that may be a contributing factor, what teachers really want is more time according to a recent survey conducted by Study.com. In conjunction with American Education Week 2024, which celebrates the importance of education and recognizes the contributions of educators, school staff and the entire education community, Study.com conducted a national survey to gauge what teachers need most to thrive in their roles and enhance student engagement and academic outcomes.

Study.com's survey of nearly 900 K-12 teachers reveals that compensation is not always the primary factor contributing to teacher retention. Forty-three percent of teachers planning to quit or leave the profession in the next five years indicated they would reconsider staying if they had a better work-life balance, which includes more time with students.

Teachers' Priorities Beyond Salary

Among the 14% of teachers who report dissatisfaction in their current role, 67% indicate compensation is a factor. Overall, the survey underscores that teachers - regardless of current job satisfaction level - want more time and support. A strong majority (80%) are satisfied or slightly satisfied in their roles, yet only 58% feel their workload is manageable. To make workloads more feasible, teachers want support in three key areas including:

• More planning time (58%)
• Additional support staff (48%)
• Reduced administrative tasks (48%)

Administrative tasks are the leading cause of stress (49%), followed by classroom management (48%) and concerns over student performance (40%). Teachers emphasize that fewer administrative duties would allow them to spend more one-on-one time with students—what they value most.

Benefit of Additional Time

Half of teachers (51%) would use that time to spend with their students. When asked which parts of their job teachers would like to spend more time on, 33% said spending one-on-one time with students; 18% indicated supporting students' emotional and social needs, and 14% would spend their time developing creative and engaging lesson plans.

"We continue to hear from teachers that they want to focus their time doing what they do best, which is working directly with their students," said Dana Bryson, SVP of Social Impact at Study.com. "Research shows a positive correlation between teacher-student relationships and academic outcomes, participation and engagement. We recognize how much teachers have to accomplish on any given day, which is why we focus on helping them save time in the classroom through curriculum content, lesson planning and student assessments."

Not only do teachers want to spend more time with their students, but it's the aspect of their job that's most enjoyable. The survey found nearly half (49%) of teachers enjoy seeing student growth and progress, followed by building relationships with their students at 36% of respondents.

Regional Differences

The survey also shows significant differences in teachers' experiences based on region, race and locale (urban, suburban, rural). These variations highlight the importance of tailored support to meet diverse needs.

States including Texas, Florida and California reported the highest dissatisfaction with administrative workloads, with 57%, 52% and 52% of teachers respectively citing it as a major stressor.  Additionally, teachers in suburban districts across 47 states are more likely to cite "seeing student growth and progress" as their favorite part of teaching at 52% (compared to 49% nationwide).

Ethnic and Racial Considerations

Schools that foster inclusivity and belonging see better teacher satisfaction. Nationally, 50% of teachers reported that greater inclusivity would improve their job satisfaction, with 59% of Black teachers and 63% of Asian teachers indicating that increased inclusivity would significantly boost their satisfaction.

Black teachers showed the highest levels of satisfaction with administrative support, with 63% feeling satisfied or slightly satisfied, compared to 35% of White teachers.
Salary and compensation dissatisfaction varied by race: 37% of Black teachers reported satisfaction with salary growth opportunities, higher than 13% of White teachers and 17% of Hispanic/Latino teachers.

Student growth and progress were highlighted as the greatest joy by 63% of Black teachers and 60% of Hispanic/Latino teachers, compared to 46% of White teachers.

Methodology

Study.com conducted an online survey of 887 public and private school teachers from October 29 to November 11, 2024, to understand the types of support they find most valuable for staying in the profession. Most respondents (approximately 71 percent) identified as White, nearly 14 percent identified as Black, about 6 percent as Hispanic or Latine, and around 5 percent as Asian. Survey results also found statistically significant data from several states, including New York, California, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Study.com opens the door to the life-changing impact of education for more than 34 million learners and educators a month through its award-winning online learning platform for K12 curriculum, college courses and test preparation. With learners and educators in more than 11,000 school districts nationwide, Study.com is recognized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for meeting Level IV evidence standards. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Study.com has been honored as one of the world's most innovative companies by Fast Company and included in the GSV150, celebrating the world's most transformative private companies in education, for the last two consecutive years. The company has donated $29 million across social impact programs committed to increasing educational equity. These programs include Working Scholars^®, an accelerated pathway for working adults to earn a debt-free bachelor's degree, and Keys to the Classroom, which seeks to help aspiring educators prepare for and pass their teacher certification exams.

SOURCE Study.com